Abstract
It is noted that the length difference claimed between [ꓩ], a voiced alveolar tap and [d], a voiced alveolar stop, exists between [ṇ] and [n] and between [ḷ] and [l], tapped and non-tapped alveolar nasals and laterals respectively in Ghotuọ and some other Ẹdo languages of the Bendel State of Nigeria. It is shown that tapped nasals and tapped laterals are to be found in some other languages of the lower basin of the Niger.However, length or duration is also a primary differentiating feature between lenis and non-lenis sounds (other factors such as “muscular tension” and “force of articulation” being difficult to pin down). Therefore, taps and lenis sounds which share the same phonetic correlates should be described in terms of a multivalued feature [length], following Williamson (1976). Sounds of normal duration would be [0 length] while shorter-than-normal sounds are [–1 length]. Long or so-called fortis sounds would be [1 length].
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